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Thursday

4 charged in transporting suspected Iranian-made weapons on boat intercepted by U.S.

This image released by the U.S. Department of Justice in an FBI affidavit filed in U.S. District Court, Alexandria, Va., shows what is described as Iranian-made warhead bound for Yemen's Houthi seized off a vessel in the Arabian Sea. Four foreign nationals were charged Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, with transporting suspected Iranian-made weapons on a vessel intercepted by U.S. naval forces. U.S. Department of Justice via AP hide caption

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U.S. Department of Justice via AP

Middle East crisis — explained

4 charged in transporting suspected Iranian-made weapons on boat intercepted by U.S.

The criminal complaint alleges the defendants were transporting missile components for the type of weapons used by Houthi rebel forces in recent attacks. Two Navy SEALs died during the mission.

What fighting in the Middle East means for the U.S. troop presence in Iraq

Fighters carry the coffin of Abu Baqir al-Saadi during his funeral on Feb. 8. He was a senior commander in Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Iraqi militia, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad. Ameer Al-Mohammedawi/dpa via Getty Images hide caption

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Ameer Al-Mohammedawi/dpa via Getty Images

Middle East crisis — explained

What fighting in the Middle East means for the U.S. troop presence in Iraq

After the U.S. killed a commander of an Iran-backed militia in Baghdad, pressure is mounting on Iraq's government to expel America's 2,500 military personnel.

What fighting in the Middle East means for the U.S. troop presence in Iraq

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Wednesday

Two Indicators: Economics of the defense industry
JASPER JACOBS/BELGA MAG/AFP/Getty Images

Planet Money

Two Indicators: Economics of the defense industry

The Department of Defense's proposed budget for 2024 is $842 billion. That is about 3.5% of the U.S.'s GDP. The military buys everything from pens and paper clips to fighter jets and submarines. But the market for military equipment is very different from the commercial market.

Two Indicators: Economics of the defense industry

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Tuesday

Global law enforcement effort cracks down on LockBit ransomware group

A screenshot taken on February 19, 2024 shows a take down notice that a group of global intelligence agencies issued to a dark web site called Lockbit. Handout/via Reuters hide caption

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Handout/via Reuters

Law

Global law enforcement effort cracks down on LockBit ransomware group

Law enforcement officials from 11 countries have joined forces to disrupt the activities of LockBit, which is considered one of the most dreaded and most prolific team of cybercriminals.

Sunday

The U.S. military says it struck a Houthi underwater vessel in the Red Sea

The U.S.S. Gravely destroyer is seen in the south Red Sea on Tuesday, Feb. 13. CENTCOM said U.S. forces repelled five Houthi attacks on Saturday. Bernat Armangue/AP hide caption

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Bernat Armangue/AP

Middle East crisis — explained

The U.S. military says it struck a Houthi underwater vessel in the Red Sea

U.S. Central Command said it was the first time the Iranian-backed rebel group had been observed using an uncrewed underwater vessel since starting a series of attacks in the region in October.

Saturday

Ex-FBI official gets over 2 years in prison for receiving $225,000 tied to Albania

Charles McGonigal, a former special agent in charge of the FBI's counterintelligence division in New York, arrives at the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., on Friday. Jose Luis Magana/AP hide caption

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Jose Luis Magana/AP

Law

Ex-FBI official gets over 2 years in prison for receiving $225,000 tied to Albania

Charles McGonigal, a former high-ranking FBI counterintelligence official, was sentenced for taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash from a businessman with ties to the Albanian government.

Friday

Biden blames Putin for Navalny's death

President Biden speaks about the death of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Feb. 16. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Biden blames Putin for Navalny's death

Speaking at the White House, Biden said he was "both not surprised and outraged" by the news of Navalny's death and said he had no doubt that Russian President Vladimir Putin was to blame.

Jake Sullivan says the U.S. is engaging with allies, and Russia, on the space threat

National security adviser Jake Sullivan, pictured at a White House briefing on Wednesday, spoke to Morning Edition about Russia's anti-satellite capability, U.S. aid to Ukraine and reports of the death of Alexei Navalny. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images hide caption

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Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Jake Sullivan says the U.S. is engaging with allies, and Russia, on the space threat

National security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke to NPR's Morning Edition about Alexei Navalny dying in prison — and his briefing of U.S. congressional leaders on new Russian "anti-satellite capability."

Jake Sullivan says the U.S. is engaging with allies, and Russia, on the space threat

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Thursday

Russia is working on a weapon to destroy satellites but has not deployed one yet

An undated photo shows a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Starlink communications satellites into orbit. The Starlink constellation is made up of thousands of satellites that are difficult for adversaries to target. SpaceX hide caption

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SpaceX

Russia is working on a weapon to destroy satellites but has not deployed one yet

The White House says there's no immediate threat to safety. National security adviser Jake Sullivan is briefing a small group of lawmakers on Thursday.

Russia is working on a weapon to destroy satellites but has not deployed one yet

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Monday

Are Biden And Netanyahu Breaking On The War Between Israel And Hamas?

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greets President Joe Biden upon his arrival in Israel shortly after Hamas' attack on Israel in October of last year. Israel's conduct of the war with Hamas is testing the relationship between Biden and Netanyahu. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Consider This from NPR

Are Biden And Netanyahu Breaking On The War Between Israel And Hamas?

The question looming over the war between Israel and Hamas is what will happen what will happen to Rafah, the city in southern Gaza. More than half of Gaza's population has sought refuge there–an estimated one and a half million people.

Are Biden And Netanyahu Breaking On The War Between Israel And Hamas?

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